La Paz, January 23 (RHC)-- Bolivian President Evo Morales has thanked Revolution leader Fidel Castro, President Raúl Castro and members of Cuban health brigades in the country for what he described as their important contribution to Bolivia's health system.

Morales gave his annual address Friday, before the country's legislative assembly. It also marked the 10th anniversary of his administration and six years since the foundation of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

He referred to free, high-quality health care as a fundamental human right of the Bolivian people, as stipulated by the country's political constitution promulgated by his government on February 7th, 2009.

He explained that since its arrival in Bolivia in 2006, the Cuban health brigade has treated more than 63 million patients, performed over 18000 surgeries and saved more than 86 thousand lives.

He clarified though that Cuba's health cooperation with Bolivia began in 2005, in the framework of the Operation Miracle free-eye-surgery program. He stressed that a total of 542, 529 Bolivians have either improved or recovered their eye-sight thanks to that program, run jointly by Cuba and Venezuela.

The Bolivian head of state also thanked Cuba for the 5 150 Bolivian doctors, trained at the Havana-based Latin American School of Medicine.